soft mouthguard - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

kkl · 02-17-2007, 05:08 PM

Hi,

Someone touched on soft mouthguards in a thread below. I'm wondering if they really protect your teeth at all. I'm in Invisalign which my ortho says acts like a mouthguard. To me, I can still feel my jaw and teeth hurting in the morning from clenching. I don't think it's the invisalign that's causing the pain. My ortho says that it should still protect my teeth. If my teeth hurt, doesn't that mean I'm still doing damage somehow? Maybe not the teeth directly, but to the bone or ligaments underneath? My general dentist mentioned that hard flat plane splints are the best.

Thelma-Louise · 02-17-2007, 05:44 PM

Its just another one of those things where there are various opinions and each think they are right. B/c the invisalign are changing the alignment (through movement) of your teeth you could be experiencing pain from that. Press your finger against one of your teeth really hard and after some time you will feel the area ache a bit.

Basically the intent of any guard is not to move teeth but to prevent damage to them from force exerted in clenching or grinding. Wearing them doesn't always stop the clenching or grinding. The softer ones may be easier to tolerate in your mouth all night long but I am sure over time they will show wear which is why the hard ones may be preferred by some. Although I have never worn invisalign - they are hard plastic, right? or are they acyrlic? Maybe they protect the teeth structure but not the jaw itself from the affects of the pressure of clenching or grinding. Personally I like the cushion like feeling of the soft mouthguard but they also tend to be a bit bulky. I'm not quite sure how you would be able to wear both the invisalign and a soft mouthguard at the same time though.